


Hidden Truths

by captainamergirl



Category: One Life to Live
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, F/M, jelly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:48:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27124069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/captainamergirl
Summary: Kelly is still desperately in love with Joey, but he’s trying to make a life with Aubrey. Meanwhile, a new man in town threatens to upend everything.A Joey/Kelly fan fiction, always destined to be unfinished but posted as part of the Good Intentions WIP fest.
Relationships: Joey Buchanan/Kelly Cramer
Collections: Good Intentions: Abandoned and Unfinished WIPs





	1. A Girl, a Stranger, and a Paper Bag

**Author's Note:**

> Find out about the Good Intentions Fest on Tumblr: https://goodintentionswipfest.tumblr.com/

**Chapter 1: A Girl, a Stranger, and a Paper Bag**  
  
Kelly stared fixatedly at the bottle of wine chilling on the counter in Dorian's kitchen. Her aunt was having Viki Buchanan of all people over to toast ... something. Kelly didn't know what they were up to. She couldn't even wrap her mind around Dorian and Viki's new found pseudo-friendship. Dorian and her life-long nemesis suddenly being thick as thieves was very strange but she knew it didn't concern her. Her mind wasn't on that really anyway. It was always where it should not be. Or rather, on whom it should not be.  
  
Joey was always on her mind. He was in her heart and it hurt.  
  
She wanted that wine to slide down her throat and quiet the ever-present thudding in her chest whenever she thought of how she had missed her very last chance to be with him, her soulmate.  
  
She bit her lip to hold in another wave of self-piteous tears. She wouldn't go there. She couldn't go there. Joey wanted to be with Aubrey; he deserved to be happy after Kelly had robbed him of true happiness in the past. They had been married and she had willingly chosen to sleep with his own brother. Even chose to marry that brother and eventually proceed to have a son with his own nephew. She didn't regret having Zane - she actually adored her son more than words could say - but she thought how hard it must have been for Joey to accept that she had actually made a life with men that weren't him.  
  
Or maybe, it hadn't bothered him all that much. She thought that now in hindsight considering how he was going around telling anyone who would listen that he and Aubrey were meant to be.  
  
She moved across the kitchen and grasped the neck of the wine bottle. Just one glass. That's all she needed, she told herself. But she knew somehow that one would not be enough to make her stop wanting and needing Joey and everything they could have been to each other. She would need drink after drink after drink to forget how much she still loved him and always had. And she refused to show up to dinner with him and Aubrey, totally shit-faced drunk. She wouldn't embarrass Joey anymore than she already had; not for the whole world...  
  
She moved her hand slowly away from the bottle and backed up towards the door. Her body soon met someone else's. She cringed as her cousin Blair snapped, "Hey, watch it, Kelly! My feet don't appreciate being stepped on by your clod-hopper high heels!"  
  
Kelly turned around, running a hand through her hair. "Sorry, Blair, I wasn't paying attention ..."  
  
"That much I gathered," Blair said sarcastically and made a show of giving Kelly a wide-berth to pass her by.  
  
"Funny ..." Kelly murmured and reached for her clutch purse on the countertop. She then headed towards the back door and her forthcoming doom.  
  
"Kelly?" Blair called after her suddenly.  
  
Kelly paused in her tracks. "Yeah?"  
  
"I know this isn't easy to believe but I sort of know how you feel. I was once in a place where I cared about someone but I stayed away because I truly believed it was the best thing for them. I know what it's like to want to be selfish and throw it all to hell just to have that person in your life."  
  
Kelly looked over her shoulder at Blair. "I was always selfish where Joey was concerned and now I am trying to do the right thing by just attempting to be okay with this Aubrey stuff. Or at least make him think I'm okay with it..."  
  
Blair sighed. "I know what you're tryin' to do. But the thing is, I missed my chance completely. You though ... maybe it's not too late for you and Joey... Just take it from your cousin ... Don't throw it all away. Don't mess up the way I did by waiting too long to say what you wanted to say. If you do, you'll be sorry."  
  
Kelly shrugged. "I'll be alright eventually. Probably sooner than later ... Joey is better with Aubrey anyway. She seems to really be into him so ..."  
  
"Maybe so but no one will love Joey like you did, Kel. Not that much, not that way. You two are the ones who are really meant to be."  
  
Kelly smiled weakly. "Maybe we were. Before I slept with Kevin; before I married Kevin and had Joey's nephew in my bed ..."  
  
Blair rolled her eyes. "The martyrdom routine is so not a good look for you, Kelly."  
  
Kelly smiled. "I'll figure this out. I will."  
  
Blair nodded. "I hope so. I can't stand anymore of your moping around here like someone killed your favorite puppy."  
  
Kelly nodded and then started towards the door once again. Then she paused in her tracks and glanced back at Blair. "Todd? It was Todd who you were talking about giving up ..."  
  
Blair shook her head sadly. "No, not at all."  
  
"You surprise me, Blair."  
  
"Right back 'atcha, cousin."  
  
XoXoXo  
  
Kelly had been at The Palace, sitting across from the happy couple, less than fifteen minutes and already she was dying to get out of there. Mostly she was just dying from actually having to watch Joey falling all over Aubrey, and even singing her praises to their waiter of all people. Sure he had acknowledged Kelly when she came in, hugged her tightly even, and said he was so glad to see her. But his tone of voice bespoke of friendly feelings towards Kelly and nothing more. She was his wingman now and Aubrey was his everything else. Kelly would have to learn to accept that fact one day.  
  
Joey and Aubrey kissed again for what seemed like the hundredth time since Kelly had arrived and she quickly flagged down a waiter in response to the PDA and ordered herself vodka on the rocks.  
  
Joey finally noticed her again. "You gave up the martinis?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah. I don't want to be predictable ..."  
  
Joey nodded. "Oh you never could be."  
  
He smiled then. "I'm so glad you came. I know Aubrey is too."  
  
Kelly nodded and looked at Aubrey. Aubrey was smiling at Kelly in such a way that looked she actually looked genuine. If Kelly didn't know better she would have suspected Aubrey still liked her the way she had before they realized they were both in love with the same man.  
  
"Well, I am happy to be here," Kelly lied with a straight face. She was getting good at this acting thing herself. Maybe she had a career in Hollywood yet...  
  
"Joey's right. We're thrilled you came," Aubrey said. "There is no one we would rather celebrate our joy with."  
  
"I am sure," Kelly said and sighed internally as she watched Aubrey thread her fingers possessively through Joey's.  
  
Soon they were back to basically canoodling in the booth across from Kelly and her drink had not even arrived yet.  
  
She abruptly stood up then. She needed air. She needed to just get the hell out of this cloying space for at least a good ten years. But five minutes would have to do.  
  
"Got to powder the 'ole nose," she offered lamely and grabbed her purse and hurried away before they could even reply.  
  
She headed towards the bathroom and then when she was out of their line of sight, she veered to the left instead and moved out onto the snow-covered terrace. She soon found herself crumpled in a chair and in the midst of a full out-and-out panic attack.  
  
"Here, this might help," a decidedly male voice came from behind her suddenly and she was then being handed a small white bag that said "Dessert Carryout" on it.  
  
She didn't really look at the man at first; just grasped the bag in her hand and understood he thought she should breathe into it to halt her sudden hyperventilating. She felt rather than saw him drop down at her side and grasp the arm of her chair. "There you go; just take slow, deep breaths."  
  
She started to pull the bag away from her face to ask him who the heck he was but he just shook his head. "Ask me questions later; deal with your panic attack first."  
  
She nodded and watched him. He had bright azure eyes that even the darkness could not conceal. His sandy-brown hair was slightly curled and he had big, broad shoulders. He was handsome, that much registered in her mind, but Kelly then looked away as he encouraged her to "relax, just relax. Whatever's got you so upset cannot be that terrible."  
  
He had no idea what he was talking about she couldn't help but think. The love of her life was inside the hotel not thirty feet away totally unaware of what she was going through while a complete stranger had to coach her on how to breathe into a paper bag.  
  
Life did not get much more "terrible" than that...


	2. Recognition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reminder that this story will NOT be finished. Sorry, I left it on a cliffhanger.

**Chapter 2: Recognition**  
  
Kelly felt the man's watchful eyes on her as she breathed into the bag again and again. He seemed to miss nothing and that just made everything even worse. She could have died of total embarrassment right now. She really could. But that would just be too easy. Just too damn easy and nothing came easy to her these days. The thought made her even more depressed and anxious so she ended up sucking in double the breaths she was supposed to be exhaling. This was some kind of nightmare. Just like the one where you showed up for junior high on the first day completely naked. Except this was worse. Much, much worse and it was real. It was heartbreakingly real...  
  
"Okay stop thinking so much," the man beside her knee said. "Seriously I can tell you are because you just get more worked up. Your blood pressure must be through the roof. Seriously, turn off that brain of yours right now."  
  
She looked at him and started to pull the paper bag away from her face to speak but he shook his head. "Remember no talking until you're feeling alright."  
  
Kelly didn't bother saying that that was fairly impossible. Did this total stranger think she was hyperventilating because she felt she could be "alright" and sane and what passed for normal ever again? But he was taking care of her as best as he could for seemingly no reason when no one else could be bothered. She wasn't going to hold all of this against him. It just bothered her that some random guy had to see her this way, but she figured that he was probably just passing through town and she wouldn't see him again. That's about the only way she could stand the humiliation of all of this.  
  
She tried to listen to him though and turn off her racing thoughts. She couldn't turn off her heart though; god knew she would have done that by now if it were at all possible. She hated feeling all these emotions; this heartbreak. She truly hated feeling anything at all.  
  
She closed her eyes and continued puffing into the bag before she finally felt a little calmer. Not a lot but at least she could breathe a bit now. She gingerly pulled the bag away from her face and glanced at the man. "Uh - thanks. I don't normally ..."  
  
"No apology necessary," the man said. "You actually think you're the only one who ever had a public meltdown?"  
  
Kelly blanched. "I wouldn't call it a public meltdown ... Not exactly ..."  
  
"Okay, a semi-private anxiety attack," he said and cocked a little smile. "Point is, you're not alone."  
  
Kelly nodded. "If you say so ..."  
  
"Seriously. We all have human moments and we just need to let ourselves feel them ..."  
  
"Oh no. That was classic, textbook Shrink Talk 101. I know because my mom was ... well, she was - god rest her soul - the kind of a person who saw a lot of psychiatrists in her lifetime..."  
  
"You caught me," he said. "I have a degree in psychotherapy."  
  
"Oh god," Kelly moaned. "Of all the people in here who could have come to my aid, it had to be a headshrinker. This cannot be good. It's actually a really bad sign that I'm going around the bend and -"  
  
The man grabbed the bag again and held it up to her eyelevel. "Okay you are getting worked up again. So you have two good options right now. You either do the 'Dessert Carryout' paper bag exercise again until you feel a lot better or you can just tell me what's bothering you."  
  
"I am not just gunna unburden my soul to some stranger who could easily whip out his cell phone, hit speed dial, and call the paddy wagon on me. No. Just ... No thank you."  
  
He smiled. "I won't, okay? I may have a degree in psychotherapy, it's true, but it doesn't mean I am using it actively."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well honestly I have so many interests that I was never one to sit still in one profession or even one place for too long."  
  
"That's ... reassuring," she muttered. "I - look thanks and all - but I don't ... I don't ... I'll be fine."  
  
"Oh yes. You're so totally fine that I found you collapsed in a lawn chair breathing like you had just run a twenty mile marathon."  
  
"I don't talk about this stuff anymore. I keep learning the hard way that if you trust someone ... well it will explode like rotten ... something ... in your face."  
  
He shook his head. "Not everyone is going to hurt you."  
  
"Maybe not intentionally," Kelly said and briefly looked back inside the restaurant. Joey was still nowhere to be found.  
  
The blue-eyed man followed her gaze. "Is he in there?"  
  
Kelly jumped in surprise. "He? Who? No! I mean ... What are you talking about?"  
  
"Whoever has you this upset. Some guy, right?"  
  
Kelly sighed softly. "Yeah. But he's not just any guy. He's actually my soul mate. Except I'm not his. He's moved on and ... it's the same old story really."  
  
"Oh I seriously doubt that. If I learned anything in my two years of practicing, it's that every person has their own story and that every story has its own twist. No story is ever completely alike."  
  
"No maybe you're right. I mean, you probably haven't met many people who did the things I did to him and ... It's dumb... I can't believe I'm telling you all this. Especially after my last confidante turned out to be ..." Her voice trailed off.  
  
"The other woman?" He guessed.  
  
"Jesus, am I that transparent or what? And if so, why can everyone see how I feel but him - the one guy in the entire world I ever truly wanted to be with?"  
  
The man shrugged. "Guys are mostly dense my nature."  
  
"Not you it seems. Two seconds at my side and you've read me like a book and ... Look, never mind. I better get back inside before he wonders where I went. Or maybe, he doesn't. That will be worse somehow. If he didn't even notice I was gone..."  
  
"I am sure he noticed. Unless he's blind and truly brain-dead," her rescuer said with a little smirk.  
  
"No he just moved on and I haven't. I'm the blind one because I didn't see how truly wonderful and amazing he was until it was too late and I was absolutely brain-dead to ever let him get away in the first place.  
  
"So yes, anyway, thanks for the therapy and everything ..."  
  
He smiled and held up a hand. "No charge."  
  
Kelly sighed and started to stand then. She felt so bone-weary she moved slower than usual but was almost out of her chair when suddenly she heard Joey's voice. He was calling her name. She was actually so surprised that he had finally bothered to check on her that she literally lost her balance.  
  
And the man who had rescued her before caught her immediately before she was even halfway to the ground. She looked up then to see Joey and the guy watching her with concerned expressions.  
  
And Joey's then handsome face transformed a bit. She was almost sure for a second that she saw a hint of true jealousy in his eyes and possessiveness towards her in the set of his jaw line.  
  
And then the second passed and his expression was once again startlingly even because Aubrey was suddenly calling his name and trotting outside in her impossibly high heels.  
  
"Joey, what-" The rest of her words died on her lips when she spotted Kelly still in the unknown man's arms. Except he wasn't unknown to Aubrey apparently. In fact, that much was evident. Recognition and even discomfort were written all over her too-pretty face.  
  
Kelly looked between them and then pulled herself free of the man's grasp. "Wow ... Do you two know each other?" she asked Aubrey, pointing in the blue-eyed-stranger's direction.  
  
The stranger spoke instead. "Oh I know Aubrey. I know her quite well actually ..."


End file.
